


Welcome Home

by boymeetsevils



Series: The Louis/James (Louames) Series [1]
Category: The Walking Dead (Telltale Video Game)
Genre: Falling In Love, Getting to Know Each Other, M/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-22
Updated: 2019-02-22
Packaged: 2019-11-03 18:09:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17882690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boymeetsevils/pseuds/boymeetsevils
Summary: James has joined the Ericson kids after they returned from their rescue mission. Louis thinks that it's about time for them to get to know each other.Part 1 of the Louis/James (Louames) series, but can also be read as a standalone fic.[Set after Episode 3: Broken Toys. Consistent with the Violet captured and shoot Lilly route]Update: This series is now an "Everything is Fine/No one was Killed or Mutilated" AU. (Except Marlon, who is dead.)





	Welcome Home

It had been about a week since everyone had returned to the boarding school. In that time, James had mostly kept to himself and talked briefly to Clementine and AJ. He had promised her that he would think about staying, for a little while at least.  
  
The past week he had been trying to adjust to the new environment while the rest recovered from the fight with the raiders. They were lucky that everyone survived, but none had escaped unscathed. Ruby was doing her best to tend to their physical wounds but only time could begin to heal the emotional wounds of that night.  
  
James had learned everyone's names and the layout of the boarding school but he hadn't really sat down and had a conversation with anyone yet. _Everyone has a lot on their mind and they need time,_ he thought.

One night, Clem asked James if he could cover lookout duty for the night. "It helps everyone feel safe, after what happened," she explained.  
  
"I'll keep watch, you just look after AJ."  
  
"Deal." She smiled at him, and James could tell that she was grateful for his help.  
  
In truth, James found it peaceful to keep watch for the night. He appreciated being able to stay in a real bed for the first time in years but being outside in the cold night air felt familiar and comforting to him. It's not that he didn't feel safe in the boarding school but he didn't quite feel comfortable yet. Being around people again, hearing their footsteps and their voices and feeling himself becoming attached to them made him feel anxious. He tried to suppress the feeling but it helped to spend some time alone outside once in a while, where he felt he could truly relax.  
  
He spent a few hours watching the perimeter of the school from their lookout point. There were barely any walkers to spot and none of them came close enough for James to have to distract them. After a while, his mind wandered and he sat down, looking up at the sky. There were no clouds to block out the stars that night, so he was enjoying the quiet and looking for constellations.  
  
"Hey, James-" Louis' voice suddenly approached him from behind, and James' body tensed up.  
  
"Louis? I - I thought you were asleep. Wasn't expecting anyone."  
  
Louis gave him a warm smile, sitting down next to him. "Sorry, dude. I didn't mean to sneak up on you. I couldn't sleep, so I brought you something."  
  
He held out a half eaten bag of cheesy goldfish crackers to James, who blinked in surprise.  
  
"Tenn wanted me to give these to you. He thought you deserved them as a thank you for saving us."  
  
"I - really? Are you sure?"  
  
"I'm sure. He wanted to come by and give them to you himself, but I told him to get some sleep instead. I wanted to come talk to you anyway."  
  
James tried to keep his surprise from showing on his face but failed miserably. "You wanted to... talk to me?"  
  
"Of course I did. But you have to eat the crackers - otherwise I won't be able to help myself and Tenn will get mad at me."  
  
James took the bag from Louis, their fingers brushing against each other briefly.  
  
"I'll eat - if you share them with me," James replied. He felt guilty eating something that was so hard to find - that Tenn must have been enjoying himself.  
  
"You don't have to ask me twice," Louis laughed, reaching over and taking a few crackers from the bag, chewing them slowly and trying to savour them.  
  
After Louis took the first bite, James followed suit. He hadn't eaten something like this in such a long time that the taste was overwhelming but amazing at the same time. They ate in silence for a few minutes and James found himself enjoying the company and smiling softly as he ate.  
  
Louis broke the silence with a groan. "Fuck, I really miss cheese."  
  
This elicited a nervous, breathy laugh from James. "It has been a long time. It's amazing that these crackers are still good after... everything that's happened."  
  
"Must be the magic of food preservatives."  
  
The boys slowed their pace as they came closer to the end of the bag and James suggested that they save the rest for another time.  
  
"Tell Tenn that I... really appreciate it."  
  
"I will. He'll be glad you accepted them - he was worried about you. Said he hadn't seen you eat in your whole time here."  
  
James raised his eyebrows in surprise, looking down at the almost-empty bag of crackers and then putting them safely in his pocket. He was touched by the gesture, but he didn't know what to say.  
  
"I - I have eaten, just when I was by myself. Tenn is... a really special kid. Kind. Quiet. Caring."  
  
Louis smiled. This was the most he had heard James talk since they had arrived back at the school. "He is. It's amazing that he still is that way - I don't know if Clem told you, but he lost his sisters about a year ago. To the raiders."  
  
"No, she didn't," James frowned. He hated to hear about such a young boy going through something so horrible. It reminded him of what he and Charlie had experienced when they were young at the start.  
  
"Yeah, he had twin sisters. They took care of him the most for as long as they could. But since we lost them - we all helped with Tenn and Willy. Is it weird if I say I feel like they raised us as much as we raised them?" Louis leaned back and looked up at the sky. Sometimes he found it easier to talk about serious topics without making eye contact.  
  
James laughed quietly, looking up to the sky as well as he replied. "No. You were kids - you were all kids."  
  
"Yeah, we were." Louis paused. "Were you with anyone at the start?"  
  
"I was." James' voice wavered slightly as he spoke. Louis looked over at him, hearing the pain and sadness in his voice. He decided not to press the subject and was thinking about how to respond when James spoke again.  
  
"I lost him. Was part of a group, but I left them. Been living among walkers ever since."  
  
"For how long?"  
  
"About two years, I think. Hard to tell anymore. I just go by the seasons."  
  
Louis frowned, briefly meeting James' eyes before they both looked quickly away. It was enough to convey to James that he was feeling empathy for him, but didn't know quite how to express it in words.  
  
"Fuck, dude. That's rough. I wouldn't make it past a day if I was on my own out there."  
  
James laughed softly, sounding surprised but amused at the same time.  
  
Louis smiled as he looked over at him. "What? Wondering how I survived this long?"  
  
"...Your words, not mine."  
  
"Don't worry, you're not the only one to think that. I wonder all the time."  
  
"Can't have all been pure luck."  
  
"Nope. Just 99% pure luck," Louis grinned. James still had a small smile on his face and he shyly met the other boy's eyes several times throughout the conversation. He was feeling more comfortable than before, growing accustomed to Louis' company. He let him continue speaking, listening intently.  
  
"I have good friends," Louis admitted. "We thought that we had it hard because the adults abandoned us when the world went to hell - but maybe it was for the best. We've lost a lot of kids but I've been lucky to have Vi, Aasim, Omar, Tenn... I couldn't have asked for a better group, really. Turns out we never needed anyone to look after us, we just needed to not be around adults that were hellbent on killing each other. There are more important things to do - like forcing your friends to play games with you every day. Learning new songs on the piano."  
  
James was taken aback for a moment. He hadn't been around someone like this - with Louis' generous, playful spirit - in so long that he didn't know how to react. After a few seconds, he asked, "Games? You mean children's games, from the old world?"  
  
"Yeah, those, but not just that. Any games that you can think of. We didn't have any board games around, so we had to make up our own."  
  
"You didn't spend most of your time thinking about survival?"  
  
"Well, some of it, but not that much. Some people in our group were good at that and I was good at games, so that's what I did. What's the point of living if you don't really _live_?"  
  
"Mm." James looked away, which made Louis worry that he had said the wrong thing.  
  
"You disagree?"  
  
"No, not really. I was just thinking - protecting people. That's something to live for."  
  
"Is that what you did during the time that you were alone?"  
  
"Sometimes. People and... what remains of people. Walkers."  
  
Louis remained silent as he contemplated James' words.  
  
James continued quickly, trying to explain himself. "When you know how to handle them, guide them, mask your scent with a mask - you realize they're a lot more peaceful than people. And... I didn't want to hurt anyone anymore. Or anything. I didn't want to be that person. I couldn't."  
  
"That, uh, helped you, didn't it? When you were alone."  
  
"You could say that. It's what I needed, anyway. To be able to live with myself, in a world like this."  
  
"I respect that," Louis replied without hesitation.  
  
James turned quickly to look at him, shocked. "You - really?"  
  
"Hell yeah, I respect that. You found a way to survive and to live, even without anyone else around. And on top of that - you're a good person."  
  
"You don't know me that well yet. I wouldn't want you to... change your mind, later." James looked away again, feeling mixed emotions that overwhelmed him for a moment.  
  
"Why would I change my mind? Who you are right now is a good person - you risked your life to save people you didn't even know. You even try to protect walkers. That's all that matters. The past doesn't exist - right now, this moment, is all we've got."  
  
"That's... an interesting way to look at it."  
  
"The way I see it, there is no long game, especially in a world like this. If I might die tomorrow - and it's likely to happen, I mean, how much longer can I keep on this lucky streak? - then what else matters? We're alive, right now. Might as well make the best of it. I'm not saying this to sound selfish - I care about the other kids, and I would die for any of them. Protecting each other is important, but enjoying the life we have, who we have while we have them, making each other happy... that's what matters to me."  
  
"I... I can see what you mean. I didn't think that I - that it would feel this way, to be around people again. But just... sitting and talking with you... feels really nice."  
  
"Well, I'll take that as a compliment. Say, ah..." Louis swallowed, thinking for a second before continuing. "How about a hug? Consider it a thank you and an official 'welcome to the family' sort of thing."  
  
James' eyes darted to meet Louis' eyes and then quickly looked away.  
  
Sensing the hesitation, Louis quickly added, "It's okay if you're not comfortable with that yet. I know it... must have been a long time since you..."  
  
"It has been. But it... does sound nice. Just... don't laugh at me if I do it wrong."  
  
"I don't know how you could possibly do it wrong, but I promise."  
  
Louis moved closer, twisting his torso to face him and carefully wrapping his arms around him, gently pulling him closer. Despite the warning, James remained frozen in his arms for a moment. He was shocked by the warmth of Louis' body. He hadn't felt anything that warm - other than the heat of a fire - in years. He swallowed and closed his eyes, raising his arms up to wrap around Louis' back. They held each other close for a moment, long enough that James could feel his own heart beating fast and his cheeks getting flushed.   
  
They both pulled back at the same time and James swallowed anxiously, adrenaline running through his body. This was the first time he had touched another person in an intimate way... since Charlie. His mind automatically began to recall the last time that he had done this - but remembering what Louis had said, James tried to push the thoughts away and to think about the present moment instead.  
  
Louis cleared his throat and raised a hand to scratch awkwardly at the back of his neck. "So, ah, that was pretty cool - right? I mean, I thought it was, but I know it must be like, a big, uh, thing, I guess, for you. Not in a bad way, I just mean - I wanted to..." he stopped mid-sentence and sighed in frustration, covering his face with his hands.  
  
_Was he... nervous, too?_  James couldn't help but smile at the thought. He couldn't believe he was here, with a new group of people, making another boy nervous.  
  
"I wanted you to feel like you were really wanted here. And like you belong. Because, I do - I think - I think you belong with us."  
  
James was at a loss for words. It seemed too good to be true - Louis seemed too good to be true. He was a kind boy with a good heart, and up until recently James had believed that there were no good people left.  
  
"You're... different, Louis. I haven't met anyone like you since... since before this all started."  
  
"You're different too. It's not every day you meet someone smart enough to guide walkers and kind enough to help a bunch of strangers."  
  
Their eyes met for a long moment, James smiling softly and Louis grinning widely.  
  
"Well, I should go. I told Ruby I would help her out tomorrow, so I better get some sleep." Louis stood up, looking down at him. "Goodnight, James."  
  
"Goodnight."  
  
James watched him walk away, his coat swinging behind him. He realized he was still smiling even after he had left. He felt a spark of hope, happiness and a tinge of fear at the fact he could feel himself rapidly getting attached to the people here. He hadn't expected to ever find a "home" again. He tried to push the feeling of fear away, focusing on the positive feelings he had been left with instead. Even if this happiness was only temporary - he felt it was still worth feeling.


End file.
